The present application relates generally to the field of fire apparatuses. In particular, the present application relates to aerial fire apparatuses including ladder assemblies that support baskets. Fire apparatuses are commonly used in fire emergency situations to evacuate people from burning structures and to contain fires. Fire apparatuses commonly include telescoping ladder assemblies that rotate relative to a body of the fire apparatus and extend over long distances. Such ladder assemblies provide fire fighters with access to elevated areas or other areas that cannot be easily reached on foot (e.g., a car trapped in a flooded area). Certain fire apparatuses are outfitted with a basket coupled to a distal end of the ladder assembly. The basket provides a stable platform on which the operators can stand with a minimal risk of falling. The basket also provides a surface that people evacuating a structure can easily access, even under the stresses of an emergency situation.
Due to the cantilevered nature of telescoping ladder assemblies, the load that the ladder assembly can handle near its distal end is limited, especially when extending the ladder assembly over longer distances. This limited load capacity limits the amount of people and equipment that can be supported by the ladder assembly. Conventional baskets are heavy, and this weight further reduces the load capacity of the ladder assembly that can be used to support people and equipment. Accordingly, there is a need for a lightweight basket for a fire apparatus.